xanthic
by nazzy and jerkez
Summary: It was a simple infiltration mission. Until he met her. —DeiTema.


It rained.

He grunted, as he let his gaze wander off, lingering on the crying sky. He had been summoned by Pain, and he did not know why. He never knew why. It was always him.

_Always me, the weak bully victim._

He wasn't stronger than the others in Akatsuki. Far from it; he did not have any special power of any sort (he did not count his hands because they were just plain freaky and he had always wondered how it did come they were like that) and he was weak. Weak, weak, weak. And soft, he was always bullied for that. He was not like the robot Itachi, the religious moron Hidan, the cruel Kisame and the plain freaky Zetsu.

He was, more or less, human. He could feel anger, hate, greed, envy, joy, lust, happiness, vanity

and love.

Although he had not experienced it in years, he still felt it. He missed his old life, he missed and longed for his old friends, his _real _friends. He missed his family, who he had not seen in years since he was kidnapped by the Akatsuki.

He missed his old self.

Deidara looked in the broken and dusty mirror, gazing right into his own eyes.

_I don't know who I am anymore._

With a slam, the door went up. "Come with me."

* * *

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**one of us**

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* * *

"Ah, Temari-san! Wait up, I can't keep up with your speed….!"

A smile, and a fast reply. "Then, you just have to keep on running…!" She giggled as she increased her speed. Her released hair danced in the wind, as the blonde locks shimmered in the sun. Her tight, short black shorts attracted the beams of the sun, and she could feel the sweat linger beneath her purple, over-sized t-shirt. Although the wind was on her side, chilling her body down, the sun would not lose the fight.

It was one of the hottest summers in Sunagakure in centauries.

Finally, the sight of the ocean appeared. "We're here! Finally!" Temari panted as she turned her head to her friend Zara, who lit up at the sight of the blue, shimmering sheet of a wonderful colour of blue.

"It's so beautiful…" Temari nodded, mostly for herself, as Zara laughed. "I can't believe I wanted to stay at the office on a day like this! Thanks for dragging me out, Temari-san!"

Temari giggled, as she felt herself longing for the cold water, and ran down only to feel sand between her toes. Wonderful. "I will drag you out every day if I must! And if I here anything about Gaara nagging about us skipping a day or two…or three…" Zara giggled, as she was almost right behind her. "I'll just kick him in the butt when I come home. Hakuna Matata, my dear friend. Now, let's have fun!"

Zara nodded. "Yes, sir. At your service!" And with that said, she took her red skirt and black tank-top of in a flash, and ran towards the sea. "Come on, Temari!"

Temari grinned, as she inspected the surroundings. Around thirty people, half of them in the water. Very calm, very sunny. No bad auras so far, she concluded. That would do it. Within ten seconds, both her shorts and shirt were off, revealing her baby-blue bikini. Soon enough, she was in the water, splashing around and having the time of her life.

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…

_15.39.41, the same day._

"My, that was surely good!" Zara exclaimed, licking her ice cream as she sat down on her over-sized towel. She received a nod as a reply from Temari, who cringed her purple t-shirt over her head.

"It surely is the best day every! I wish every day was like this…" Temari moaned by the bare thought, grinning wildly. "I would take all my friends in Konoha here, and they would love it even more than I."

Zara stared at Temari, as she gave a little smile. "Including Shikamaru-san?"

Temari frowned at the name, as she gazed towards the sun. She shrugged. "Nah. Or maybe, I don't know. At least I know he's over me, and that's a relief. After all, it was me who broke up. He was devastated, poor boy."

Zara put on her serious face, as she scooted closer Temari. "How is he now? I mean, relation-wise…?"

"He's happy with that other blonde girl. Ino, I think was her name. She's cute and nice so I'm happy for him." Temari sighed, wanting to change the subject. Shikamaru was not the topic she wanted to talk about. "Anyway." Temari gave her a small smile. "It was the best for the both of us; we're over each other now. Everything's fine."

Zara grinned. "I take that as you have found another guy."

"Is guys seriously the only thing you think about, Zara?"

They laughed together, as Zara nodded. "Well, yeah. I mean, you are twenty now. Twenty! And you have only been with _one _guy." She underlined the word "one" so well it was hard to not understand the meaning behind it.

"Zara, I'm not looking for ever-lasting, happily ever after, real and true love!"

"You don't have to!"

Temari shrugged, as she hugged her knees with her tanned and muscular arms. "I dunno. I'm not the kind of girl who uses guys like they are some kind of a toy…"

Zara rolled her eyes, as she patted her friend on the shoulder. "Temari, they enjoy every minute of it. You don't have to worry about that part, I assure you—"

"Excuse me."

A figures shadow clouded the sun, and as Temari looked up, she was greeted by a brown pony-tail, hanging loose on his right shoulder and piercing blue eyes.

"Do you know the way to the nearest city? I'm looking for a room for the night, I've travelled all day and I'm just exhausted…"

Zara grinned. "And the sun doesn't make it any easier."

The man smiled, as she gazed at her. "Precisely my thought, dear." He looked at Temari, and then back to Zara. "May I ask of your names, and then the direction?"

Zara winked at him, as she gazed at him. "I'm Hanuki Zara." She tilted her head to the left. "And the blonde is Temari. Temari of the sand."

Temari could almost swear she saw the man twitch, as he gave her the most piercing glance she had every seen. "…I take that as you are related to…Gaara of the sand. Am I right?"

Temari gave him a small smile. "Yes."

He clasped his hands together, as he grinned widely. "Excellent! Then, you must know the way to Sunagakure pretty well, I assume?"

Temari giggled, as she looked at the man. "Pretty well, yeah. We were just leaving; want to join us for company on the ride home?"

"We insist you follow us!" Zara exclaimed, tugging at his hand. She became like this every time a man was around her. Clingy. Girly. Annoying. The only thing that Temari did not like about her.

"Very well then. Ladies, after you."

"Wait."

The man locked eyes with Temari, as she stood up. "Care to tell us what your name is?"

"Sure, how insulting of me to not introduce myself." He smiled. "I'm Kyouta."

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_15.33.27 the same day_

"Sex on the beach, please."

"I'd love to."

Deidara rolled his eyes, as he flashed his piercing gaze towards the girl at the bar. "That, I have to decline, my love. Just the drink, this time at least." He winked at her, as he scooted closer.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever…" They shared a laugh. "I take it as you are not from around here." The black-haired girl played with her braided hair in a playful manner, attempting to be flirty.

Deidara nodded, as he took the glass from her hands, cooling his fingers. "How'd you guess?"

She giggled. "Any other man would die to…" she lingered on the words "have sex on the beach." She winked.

Deidara shrugged, as he gave her a little smile. "I'm not in the mood. Sorry." The girl pouted. "Although…there could be something you could help me with."

The girl lit up, as she scooted closer, leaning on the table, exposing her tiny tank-top. "Anything."

"Where's the nearest way to Sunagakure?"

"That I don't know. I haven't been there. I live here around the corner. Although, I saw two girls come from a direction where all the Suna-tourists arrives from. Ask them, they should know."

"Awesome. Where can I find them?"

The girl pointed towards west, and tilted her head. "I saw them there before. One is blond and tall and the other one is a bit shorter and have red hair." She grinned. "You can't miss them."

"Thanks, hun." Deidara scooted closer and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "You'll find another guy I'm sure of."

The girl rolled her eyes, as she poked him. "See ya around."

"Hn."

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_flashback_

_Deidara. Pein's voice was rusty robot-like deadly and cruel as always. He felt his gaze upon him, looking into his body, flesh, bone, heart._

_Yes, you summoned me, hm. He could not control the shaking. What is your purpose of me being here, leader? He did not want to look him in the eye he did not want to_

_I have a mission for you. Piercing gaze, staring right though him. Never stopped, will never stop._

_Deidara looked up. Really? And what mission is that, if I may ask? He wanted to run. Run from his life. Escape. He was terrified. (he did not want to be like this he could be so much stronger)_

_You will go to Sunagakure, and infiltrate the household. You are going to cast an illusion, making your appearance looking like anyone but you. _

_He swallowed. And, by which person am I going to infiltrate? It's going to be tough infiltrate a household without having access to—_

_Talk when asked to, Deidara. His chilly voice scarred his ears haunting him for life._

_Sorry, leader. Shaking. Not stopping. Will not happen again._

_Good. You are going to follow a sibling of Gaara of the Sand, the Kazekage. You must be _

_acquainted__ with him by one._

_A chill ran through his body. Red hair sand pain dark eyes without end death flashed before his eyes. Yes, of course. Which of the sibling?_

_Temari. Temari of the Sand._

_Deidara's eyes widened. It's a girl?_

_Since it is a girl name, yes, it is a girl you are going to follow. Sarcasm hinted throughout the word. The meaning was not hard to figure out; moron idiot worthless_

_He gaped but no words came out. He shook his head. Sorry. When am I going to leave for Sunagakure?_

_Deidara felt his smile._

_Now. You are dismissed._

…

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…

_now_

"And then I was like…'God, you are _such _a moron, Tsubaki' and I left him there, standing and gaping like a moron."

Temari laughed, as she enjoyed the chilling wind. The three of them were walking on the long road that would take them to her town, Suna. Zara had been talking since they left the beach non-stop, and Kyouta and she would just nod silently in chorus.

"And now he's totally like wanting to see me again, but that's just a booty-call so I'm just ignoring him. He's just soooo annoying right now…"

"Sounds like a moron to me." Kyouta spoke for the third time since they had started the journey back to Suna, his tone gentle and soft. Temari liked his voice. It was straight-forward, manly and very sexy in a non-sexy way. She could not explain it.

Temari lit up. "We're almost there!"

Kyouta and Zara looked up, and both started to smile by the sight of the mighty Sunagakure, shimmering in the sun. "It sure is beautiful!" Zara exclaimed, sighing.

Kyouta couldn't agree more. "It's as beautiful as I imagined it." He could feel his smile, his genuine smile. It was very beautiful.

"You haven't been here before?" Kyouta looked to the left, meeting Temari's eyes. The green pools without depth, that is. She pouted and looked very curious of his past. Very cute indeed.

"Hasn't had the time." Sure, a white lie could not hurt. It's not like he had been in the city of Sunagakure, only above…so tecniqually, it did not count. Kind of. Temari just gave him a simple nod, and turned her head again; focusing on asking Zara about something Deidara did not hear. He studied the surroundings. Tall, sand tops and tons of guards, even if they haven't reached the entrance yet.

_This will be tough_.

His gaze wandered to Temari's back; the blonde locks, the t-shirt that fitted her tanned body perfectly… she looked so fragile, but by knowing she was the Kazekage's sister, he knew she wasn't. Deidara looked at his own hair, brown by the henge he had laid on himself, and sighed heavily. It was his hair that made him look different; it was the only thing he had changed. Except the extra mouths in his hands, of course. The eye-colour stayed the same, and he had bought some nice clothes at the local store.

_I hope Gaara does not remember me. Or my voice._

As he looked up, he met Temari's eyes (read: green pools without depths) and her big smile. "We're here!" She looked excited, giving him a smile. "I welcome you to my home, Suna."

They had reached the entrance, and within a second, they were in. He knew that it was now his mission begun.

Little did he know that it would change his life.

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_tbc.

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Don't have much time, have to go now! Although, this is my new DeiTema story if you haven't figured that out by now D: say what you think. It is your comments and reviews on this story that will decide if it should be continued or not.

Love,_  
jerkez_


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